Raiders NFL Draft: A Tight End Option In Every Round

Round 2 – Adam Shaheen, Ashland

Evan Engram might be the ideal second round pick at the tight end position, but some considered him a fringe round one option, so it doesn’t seem likely he’ll be there when the Raiders pick at 56th overall.

But Adam Shaheen, if McKenzie decides to go tight end here, would be a solid alternative.

Standing at a towering 6’6″ and 278 pounds, he’s bigger than Martellus Bennett and Rob Gronkowski. And he’s a pretty good athlete as well, especially for his size.

Shaheen fits the tight end stereotype that everyone loves — former basketball player. He’ll have big shoes to fill if he hopes to follow in the footsteps of basketball to football converts before him, but he might be up to the task.

He’s an impressive route-runner, and was lined up all over the field during his time at Ashland. His versatility could translate well in the NFL, as teams could use him up the seam, as a big slot receiver, or in a variety of other ways.

Shaheen also has consistent hands, but there are some other areas he needs to work on. For one, he can get jammed at the line of scrimmage too often. And considering his size, he’s a much worse blocker than you would expect. Another concern is the level of competition he faced — it’ll be a big jump to play against NFL talent.

Both Todd McShay and Daniel Jeremiah like him as a day two sleeper, so he’s certainly a name to watch.